Completed Event: Baseball versus Murray State on June 9, 2025 , Loss , 4, to, 5
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Final
Baseball
4
vs Murray State
5
Tuesday, February 23
Greenville, N.C.
4 P.M.
Duke University
1
at
6
East Carolina
Duke Falls at East Carolina, 6-1
2/23/2021 8:48:00 PM | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The 25th-ranked Duke baseball program dropped a midweek matchup at No. 22 East Carolina, 6-1, Tuesday afternoon at Clark LeClair Stadium in Greenville, N.C.
Two Blue Devil captains, senior Joey Loperfido and graduate student Chase Cheek, led Duke offensively in the midweek out-of-conference showdown. Loperfido went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Cheek finished 2-for-3 with a double.
Senior right-handed pitcher Josh Nifong started on the bump for the Blue Devils, making his first appearance of the 2021 season. The High Point, N.C., native put in 4.1 innings of work, allowing four hits and two runs, while also recording one strikeout.
The Pirates jumped out to an early 2-0 lead as they hit a solo home run in each of the first two innings. Duke grabbed one back in the top of the third after Loperfido and senior catcher Michael Rothenberg recorded back-to-back doubles. East Carolina later added four in the bottom of the seventh to ultimately seal the game, 6-1.
Junior Matt Dockman came in for relief of Nifong, also making his first appearance of the season. Dockman gave up two hits while fanning two in 1.2 innings of work. Freshman Adam Boucher made his collegiate debut and registered the final out for the Blue Devils.
Duke will host Boston College this coming weekend for a three-game series that begins Friday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Friday's game will serve as the Blue Devils' home opener with first pitch slated for 4 p.m., on ACC Network. As a reminder, Duke University is beginning the spring sports season without spectators. Only essential game personnel and broadcast media will be in attendance.
Postgame Notes:
Two Blue Devil captains, senior Joey Loperfido and graduate student Chase Cheek, led Duke offensively in the midweek out-of-conference showdown. Loperfido went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Cheek finished 2-for-3 with a double.
Senior right-handed pitcher Josh Nifong started on the bump for the Blue Devils, making his first appearance of the 2021 season. The High Point, N.C., native put in 4.1 innings of work, allowing four hits and two runs, while also recording one strikeout.
The Pirates jumped out to an early 2-0 lead as they hit a solo home run in each of the first two innings. Duke grabbed one back in the top of the third after Loperfido and senior catcher Michael Rothenberg recorded back-to-back doubles. East Carolina later added four in the bottom of the seventh to ultimately seal the game, 6-1.
Junior Matt Dockman came in for relief of Nifong, also making his first appearance of the season. Dockman gave up two hits while fanning two in 1.2 innings of work. Freshman Adam Boucher made his collegiate debut and registered the final out for the Blue Devils.
Duke will host Boston College this coming weekend for a three-game series that begins Friday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Friday's game will serve as the Blue Devils' home opener with first pitch slated for 4 p.m., on ACC Network. As a reminder, Duke University is beginning the spring sports season without spectators. Only essential game personnel and broadcast media will be in attendance.
Postgame Notes:
- Duke falls to 14-40 all-time against the Pirates and 6-24 in Greenville.
- The two teams will meet again later in the regular season as the Blue Devils host East Carolina on March 9.
- All three East Carolina home runs in the game came with two outs and a 0-0 count.
- Rothenberg extended his on-base streak to 28 consecutive games.
- The Duke pitching staff gave up just three walks, their lowest tally in a game this season.
Players Mentioned
RHP
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LHP
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